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What is Dysthymia? (Chronic Depression)

Dysthymia disorder is a depressive mood disorder. Dysthymia is characterized by longstanding depression symptoms where the patient is depressed more days than not for a period of two years or longer. People who suffer from chronic depression often experience life-long depression. About 6% of people will experience dysthymia disorder at some point in their lifetime.1

Dysthymia Defined

Dysthymia is defined as having depression most of the day, for most days, for two years or longer. Dysthymia is often called chronic depression due to its duration. For a diagnosis of dysthymia, a person must suffer from at least two of the following dysthymia symptoms:

Lesser or greater appetite than normal

Sleep too much (hypersomnia) or too little (insomnia)

Low energy or fatigue

Low self-esteem

Trouble concentrating

Decision-making difficulties

Feelings of hopelessness

Dysthymia disorder is only diagnosed when no major depressive episodes have happened during the first two years of the illness and no manic periods are present. Periods of normal mood for up to two months may be present in dysthymia depression.

Signs and Symptoms of Dysthymia

Dysthymia was once considered less severe than major depression, and due to its elongated nature, its diagnosis was often missed. More and more though, clinicians are realizing dysthymia can have major consequences on a person's life and functioning.

Similar to major depression, dysthymia impairs everyday functioning, increases the risk of death from physical disease and increases the risks of suicide. As dysthymia is a depressive disorder, depressed and negative moods are common as well as restlessness, anxiety and irritability. Other dysthymia, or chronic depression, symptoms are:

Unexplained periods of unhappiness in childhood

Being overweight / underweight

Loss of pleasure from activities previously found enjoyable

Little time spent on hobbies and activities

A family history of dysthymia

Effort spent primarily on work and little left for social and personal relationships

Risk Factors and Causes of Dysthymia

The causes of dysthymia have not been clearly established but dysthymia appears to share the some biological markers of major depression. In electroencephalogram (EEG) and polysomnogram testing, 25% of people with dysthymia disorder have sleep changes similar to those seen in major depression. Chronic stress and illness are associated with chronic depression (dysthymia) and it seems to run in families, occurring more often in women than in men. Many people with dysthymia have a long-term medical problem or another mental health disorder, such as anxiety, alcohol abuse, or drug addiction.

Each of these therapies focus on the handling of current problems. Long-term psychodynamic therapy can also help someone with dysthymia get to any issues underlying their chronic depression or other problems, such as substance abuse.